How Alkaline Foods and pH Balance Affect Health

The idea that alkaline foods and pH balance can have an influence on health is a relatively new theory, but experts in the fields of medicine and science are discovering that it can be a vital consideration in battling many different diseases. The human body is actually intended to function with a slightly alkaline pH balance of 7.4. This refers to the pH of the bloodstream, while some parts of the digestive system are purposefully acid.

Unfortunately, most of the foods and drinks in the Standard American Diet (SAD) are acid forming. It is easy to see that all the processed foods, sugary drinks and fried foods that people consume on a regular basis are very acidic. Each of these impacts pH balance in the body, causing it to lean to the acid side of the scale. Alkaline foods and drinks help the body manage a healthy pH balance.

Early science explains that substances can be either acid or alkaline. Often, pH testing paper is used to measure the alkaline or acid nature of something. Any substance falling below 7.0 on the pH scale is thought to be acid, while other substances are either neutral or alkaline. All the foods, drinks, pills and other stuff that humans take in daily are either on the acid or alkaline side of the pH scale and determine the overall pH balance throughout the systems of the body.

When when more acid foods than alkaline foods are consumed, internal organs and tissues tend to deteriorate from constantly being fueled with acid forming properties. On the other hand, when a greater selection of alkaline foods are a component of the diet, the body has an easier way of alkalizing the blood, thus maintaining a proper pH balance.

There are a variety of other reasons to avoid creating an acidic environment within the body. One of the most important is that unwelcome organisms such as yeast, candida, and other unhealthy bacteria grow much more easily when pH balance is more acid than alkaline. Cells are at their healthiest when in an alkaline state. When the diet is low in alkaline foods and drinks, cells struggle to thrive, and many of them decay or die prematurely.

Because an alkaline state is so important to healthy function, the human body will do all it can to restore proper pH balance, even if that means damage to other parts of the body. When a greater quanitity of acid foods are consumed than alkaline foods, calcium is the easiest choice for the the body to restore alkalinity. As needed, calcium is naturally drawn from bones and teeth in order to put out the fire and alkalize the acid in the bloodstream. This is one of the many reasons that candy and other sugary, acid forming substances cause tooth decay and bone loss.

There are numerous alkaline foods that can help to maintain a proper pH balance in the body. Here are a few:

• Raspberries

• Avocado

• Figs

• Raisins

• Spinach

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Sprouts

• Beets

• Cantaloupe

• Garlic

• Carrots

• Coconuts (and coconut milk)

• Cucumbers

• Dates

• Mangos

• Oranges

• Peaches

• Yams

Eating alkaline foods is a crucial step toward restoring desired pH balance in the body. In addition to the priceless nutrients attained from these healthy foods, cell function and oxygen flow are improved while creating a less desirable environment for dangerous organisms that jeopardize overall health.

Author Everett Smith created the FREE Alkaline Food Test at http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net/index.html so that consumers may understand more clearly how alkaline foods and pH balance positively influence overall health.